Apparatus for weighing cigarettes and similar rod-shaped articles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for regulating the weight of cigarettes has a weighing scale which weighs trays containing arrays of stacked cigarettes and produces signals serving to control the operation of the trimmer and/or distributor in a cigarette-making machine. The cigarettes are lifted off a conveyor of the machine by a suction head and are transferred into trays in the form of layers by means of a reciprocable pusher. The spatial relationship of cigarettes in the trays is not changed preparatory to or during weighing. The trays descend stepwise during filling with layers of cigarettes.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Kurt K'orber Am Pfingstberg 10, Hamburg-Bergedort; Hans Sottori', Juthorskamp 2, Hamburg- Wandsbek, both of Germany Appl. No. 18,270 Filed Mar. 10, 1970 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 Priorities Aug. 8, 1962 Great Britain 30,343/62;

APPARATUS FOR WElGI-HNG CIGARETTES AND SIMILAR ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES 9 Claims, 22 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 131/22, 131/25, 198/39, 198/40, 53/236 Int. Cl A240 5/32 Field 01 Search 131/21 R,

21 B, 22 R, 22 A, 25; 214/1 BS; 198/39, 40; 53/236 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,089,680 3/1914 Sloan et a1. 131/22 R 1,811,759 6/1931 Molins 131/22 R 1,921,317 8/1933 Molins et a1.. 131/22R 1,965,302 7/1934 Wagner 265/27 2,090,252 8/1937 Damm.... 131/22 A X 2,102,317 12/1937 Gwinn 131/22 R X 2,629,479 2/1953 Sneed et a1. 198/40 X 2,701,639 2/1955 Petrea 198/39 X 2,745,411 5/1956 Gilman et a1. 131/22R 2,753,871 7/1956 Korber 131/22 R 2,972,845 2/1961 lnnocenti 53/236 3,190,459 6/1965 Kochalski et a1. 131/25 UX Primary Examiner-Joseph S. Reich Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: Apparatus for regulating the weight of cigarettes has a weighing scale which weighs trays containing arrays of stacked cigarettes and produces signals serving to control the operation of the trimmer and/or distributor in a cigarettemaking machine. The cigarettes are lifted off a conveyor of the machine by a suction head and are transferred into trays in the form of layers by means of a reciprocable pusher. The spatial relationship of cigarettes in the trays is not changed preparatory to or during weighing. The trays descend stepwise during filling with layers of cigarettes.

PATENTEnuEmm 3'525'953 SHEET 2 BF 7 PATENTEU 05:14am 316261953 SHEET 3 [IF 7 PATENTEumcmsn 31626353 SHEET 6 [IF 7 I slezsLssa mzmsnnemm SHEET 7 [1F 7 NE m:

APPARATUS FOR WEIGIIING CIGARETTES AND SIMILAR ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES This is a division of our application Ser. No. 574,245, filed Aug. 22, 1966 and now abandoned. The application Ser. No. 574,245 is a streamlined continuation of Ser. No. 285,120, filed June 3, 1963 and now abandoned. The application Ser. No. 285,120 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 217,777, filed Aug. 13, 1962 and now abandoned.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES The apparatus of the present invention constitutes an improvement over and a further development of apparatus which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,87 l granted July 10, 1956 to Kdrber. Certain details of the apparatus of the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,459, granted June 22, 1965 to Kochalski et al.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in the production and processing of rod-shaped articles of the type including regular and king-size cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, filter rod sections and filter cigarettes. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for weighing groups of such rodshaped articles for the purpose of determining the mean or average weight of articles in the group which is being weighed. The results of measurements may be utilized for calculating or computing the hourly, daily, weekly or monthly output of tobaccoor filter-processing machines as well as for effecting automatic or manual adjustments in the operation of such machines if the average weight deviates from a predetermined standard weight.

lt is already known to collect at certain intervals groups of say l cigarettes from a continuous stream of cigarettes which are being discharged by a cigarette-making machine and to weigh such groups in order to determine the average weight and to effect manual adjustments in the operation of the machine if the average weight is above or below a predetermined optimum or standard weight. However, to our knowledge, such small groups of cigarettes are being withdrawn without taking into consideration the spatial relationship of the cigarettes so that such relationship of the cigarettes which are being withdrawn for the purpose of weighing will change and that, therefore, the thus withdrawn and subsequently weighed cigarettes cannot be reinserted into the path in which the cigarettes travel because it is impossible to insure that the reinsertedcigarettes will assume positions in which they may be treated and processed in the customary way in order to be collected in so-called trays or chargers and to be thereupon delivered to wrapping or packaging machines. Such reinsertion of weighed cigarettes would require much time so that the weighed cigarettes are frequently discarded or destroyed instead of wasting time for reinsertion into the normal path of cigarettes which emerge from the cigarette-making machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ap paratus for processing of cigarettes, filter rod sections and similar rod-shaped articles which includes means for weighing smaller or larger groups of such articles without any changes in the spatial relationship of the articles which form the groups so that each weighed group may be automatically reinserted or may remain in the path of the articles without any interruptions in the normal operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for determining the average weight of grouped cigarettes, filter rod sections, cigars, cigarillos, filter cigarettes and similar rod-shaped articles wherein such groups of articles need not be withdrawn from their normal path prior, during or subsequent to the weighing step so that the weighing step may be carried out in the actual path of the articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for determining the average weight of cigarettes or the like and for automatically eliminating the cause when the result of measurement deviates from the desired standard weight of such articles.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the measurement carried out on a group of articles may be automatically followed by a corrective step and wherein such corrective step is undertaken only if the measurements indicate a trend in a direction toward lowerthan-average or higher-than-average weight of an article.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for determining the average weight of cigarettes and similar rod-shaped articles without any interruption in the normal operation of the devices which produce and thereupon transfer, stack and store such articles so that the weighing operation does not reduce or otherwise affect the output of such devices.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for weighing and for determining the average weight of grouped cigarettes, filter rod sections and similar rodshaped articles which is constructed and assembled in such a way that it may be readily incorporated in or combined with existing wrapped tobacco or filter rod forming and stacking machines without necessitating any or by necessitating minimal changes and adjustments in the construction and/or mode of operation of such machines.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the determination of average weight of articles in a smaller or larger group takes place in a fully automatic way and which is capable of recording the results of measurements as well as of automatically adjusting that part of the machine which might be the cause for the production of overweight or underweight articles.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a novel weighing device which may be utilized in connection with or which may be embodied in presently used tobaccoand filterprocessing machines and which does not interfere with accustomed operation of such machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a weighing device which, in addition to furnishing immediate and accurate readings relating to the average weight of articles in one or more larger groups, may also serve as a means for weighing two or more groups of articles in a simultaneous operation without altering the spatial relationship of the grouped articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a weighing device which may be combined with the transfer device or with the layer-forming device of an automatic tray-filling apparatus and which may be calibrated to indicate the result of measurement in any desired units of weight. An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for weighing and immediately determining and/or indicating the average weight of smaller or larger groups of filter cigarettes and similar composite articles and whose weighing device may be calibrated in such a way that it will indicate only the average weight of the tobacco-containing part or parts of the processed articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel connection between an automatic weighing device of the above outlined characteristics and a tobacco rod or filter rod forming machine, such connection being equally useful to regulate the feed of a tobacco rod making machine, the trimming or equalizing action upon a tobacco stream, the compacting action upon a tobacco stream, and/or a series of such actions in a simultaneous operation so that any deviations from a predetermined standard weight may be corrected in a timesaving manner and without necessitating any attention on the part of the operator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel takeoff conveyor and an improved weighing device which is capable of weighing and determining the average weight of cigarettes, filter rod sections and similar rod-shaped articles while the articles are accommodated in chargers, trays or similar containers or storing devices which are being supported and advanced by the takeoff conveyor.

The apparatus of the present invention is utilized for regulating the average weight of cigarettes or analogous rodshaped articles. It comprises a rod-forming machine having adjustable means arranged to regulate the quantity of tobacco in a wrapped rod which is thereupon subdivided to yield rodshaped articles, assembling means arranged to receive rodshaped articles from the machine and to assemble. the thusreceived articles in each of a series of successive containers so that each container accommodates an identical number of articles which form therein groups or stacks and are arrayed in a predetermined relationship to each other, weighing means for weighing at least some of the thus-filled containers in a weighing zone to determine the average weight or articles therein while the spatial relationship of articles remains unchanged, conveyor means for moving the thus-weighed containers from the weighing zone, and an operative connection between the weighing means and the machine for automatically adjusting the adjustable means in response to deviation of the average weight of weighed articles from a predetermined standard weight.

The improved apparatus will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a weighing device which embodies one form of the invention and which weighs selected layers or rows of cigarettes or similar rodshaped articles subsequent to transfer of such layers into the interior of storing devices or trays which serve to accommodate stacks of cigarettes delivered from a cigarette-making machine;

FIG. la is a schematic front elevational view of the weighing device, as seen from theleft-hand side of FIG. I, and illustrates this device in a position in which its suction head is about to lift or to release a layer ofcigarettes in the tray;

FIG. lb illustrates the structure of FIG. la with the suction member of the weighing device in lifted position and with the tray in an intermediate position subsequent to transfer of additional cigarette layers;

FIG. Ic illustrates the structure of FIGS. and lb in a third position in which the suction member is about to release a layer of weighed cigarettes and in which the tray accommodates a complete stack of cigarette layers;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse section through the suction member of the weighing device, through a cigarette layerforming device, and through a transfer device which latter serves to deliver layers of cigarettes from the layer-forming device into the tray;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of certain parts ofa different apparatus which are located at a tray-filling station and wherein the weighing device comprises a lifting member which is located between a tray and a layer-forming device;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a third weighing device which is disposed between a layer-forming device and a tray and which supports layers of cigarettes from below rather than by suction as in FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the cigarette layer-forming device constitutes an element ofthe weighing device;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary partly elevational and partly sectional view of a further embodiment wherein a support plate which serves to transfer layers of cigarettes into a tray simultaneously forms part ofa weighing device;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation view of an additional weighing device which serves to weigh layers of cigarettes and which constitutes a modification of the structure shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an attachment which serves to receive a continuous stream of cigarettes from a cigarettemaking machine and to transfer such cigarettes into trays, this attachment cooperating with a different weighing device which is arranged to weight one filled tray at a time;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the weighing device shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 10a is a fragmentary perspective view of the weighing device as seen in the direction of the arrow X in F IG. 10;

FIG. llv is a fragmentary schematic side elevational view of a takeofi conveyor which cooperates with the attachment of FIG. 9 and which serves to deliver consecutively filled trays to the weighing device;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the takeoff conveyor and the weighing device, the latter being shown in a position in which its tray-lifting platform is about to engage a filled tray from below;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing the structure thereof in a different position in which the platform of the weighing device maintains a filled tray at a level above the takeoff conveyor;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a filled tray and of a portion of the weighing device in the position of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of the electric circuitry of the weighing device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and of the control system which receives impulses from the weighing device;

FIG. 15a is a diagram which illustrates the faces of five control cams in developed view, these cams forming part of the structure shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified weighing device which is arranged to weigh five filled trays at a time; and

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of an additional weighing device which embodies a specially configurated lifting member arranged to engage a sidewall ofa filled tray.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 2, there is shown a conveyor belt 1 on which cigarettes Z are advanced from a cigarette-making machine (not shown) toward a tray-filling station. At this station, the cigarettes are lifted from the conveyor belt 1 by a suction head or lifter 2 on which they are aligned to form a layer or row with the individual cigarettes arranged in a predetermined manner, normally in parallel alignment and uniformly spaced from each other so as to form a group of coplanar closely adjacent rod-shaped articles. A transfer device including a support plate 4 and a plunger 34 is movable in the direction of elongation of the cigarettes, i.e., in a direction from the left to the right or vice versa, as viewed in FIG. 2. The operation of the cigarette layer-forming device (including the conveyor belt 1 and suction head 2) is synchronized with the operation of the transfer device (including the support plate 4 and plunger 34) in such a manner that a cigarette layer formed on the suction head 2 is pushed longitudinally of the cigarettes and into a storing device here shown as a charger or tray 3 as soon as the suction head 2 has completed the formation of a layer.

The tray 3 is of the type commonly employed in this art and includes four fixed walls, see FIGS. la to 10. The front side of the tray which faces the suction head 2 is open, at least when the tray is being filled, and this tray rests on a bracket 40 which is caused to descend at regular intervals (subsequent to transfer of consecutively assembled layers of cigarettes) so that the tray is lowered at the same rate at which the stack of cigarettes is being built up in the tray from cigarette layers transferred from the conveyor belt 1. The heretofore described parts of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 form no part of this invention and were described to the extent necessary for full understanding of the operation of a weighing device 6 which serves as a means for determining the average weight of cigarettes in one or more selected layers subsequent to transfer of such selected layers into the interior of the tray 3.

The weighing device 6 of FIGS. I and 2 comprises a suction member 5 which is inserted from above so as to extend into the tray 3 and which is normally in horizontal alignment with the suction head 2 of the layer-forming device. The suction member 5 is suspended from one arm of a partially hollow balance beam or weighbeam 8 which is pivoted on a knifeedge bearing 7. The bearing 7 is integral with or rigidly connected to a stationary frame member (not shown) which also carries the layer-forming and transfer devices and on which the tray-supporting bracket 40 is movably mounted.

One arm of the balance beam 8 carries a counterweight 9 which is longitudinally slidable on the beam and which may be fixed in a selected position of adjustment by means of a set screw 10. A supporting tube 12 is formed with a bifurcated upper end which is pivoted to the other arm of the beam 8 by means of a horizontal pin 1 1 so that the tube 12 is free to pivot in a vertical plane which coincides with the plane of FIG. 1. The center of gravity of the balance beam 8 with its counterweight 9 and tube 12 is located at a level below the edge of the bearing 7. The cavity 13 in the beam 8 communicates with a vacuum pump 8a through a nipple 14 and through a flexible conduit which accommodates a control valve 8b. The cavity 13 also communicates with the bore 15 of the tube 12 by means ofa flexible hose 16 shown in FIG. 1.

The lower end of the tube 12 carries a loose flange 17 which cooperates with a fixed flange 19 to sealingly clamp the upper axial end of a tubular bellows 18 so that the internal space of the bellows communicates with the bore 15. The lower axial end of the bellows 18 is sealingly secured to the top wall of the suction member 5, see FIG. 2.

The suction member 5 includes as many cigarette holders of pockets 21 as there are cigarettes in a layer formed by the suction head 2. The holders 21 assume the form of cylindrically contoured grooves and are provided at the underside of the suction member 5. These holders are juxtaposed to receive all the cigarettes of a layer when such layer is being transferred to the weighing device by the plunger 34 from the corresponding longitudinally aligned grooves 41 provided at the underside of the suction head 2. The suction member 5 is formed with suction slots 22 which are disposed between the adjacent holders 21. The slots 22 communicate with the respective holders 21 and extend over a major portion of the length of a cigarette received in its holder. A suction chamber 23 in the member 5 communicates with each slot 22 through a series of openings 24. A hingedly attached flap 25 normally covers each opening 24 and is formed with a small port 26 so that the openings 24 are never tightly sealed by the flaps 25.

A piston 27 is sealingly slidable in the suction chamber 23 so as to move horizontally toward and away from the suction head 2, reference being had to FIG. 2. A rod 28 which is secured to the piston 27 passes with at least some play through an opening provided in the left-hand sidewall of the suction member 5 and is biased by a compression spring 29 which is interposed between the piston 27 and a stop screw 30 secured to the suction member 5. An opening 31 in the top wall of the suction member 5 connects the suction chamber 23 with the interior of the bellows 18. The opening 31 is covered by a hingedly attached flap 32 having a small port 33.

That end of the beam 8 which extends beyond the pivot pin 11 carries a pointer which sweeps a scale 20 on a fixed frame member 35a when the beam 8 is caused to oscillate about the edge of the bearing 7. Fixed abutments 35, 36 are arranged on the frame member 350 in the path of the beam 8 to limit the amplitude of such oscillations.

The apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 operates as follows:

During the formation of a cigarette layer, the suction head 2 moves toward the upper side of the conveyor belt 1, and the cigarettes advancing with the belt 1 are drawn by suction so as to enter consecutive grooves 41 at the underside of the head 2 while the supporting plate 4-and plunger 34 are withdrawn from the position of FIG. 2 in a direction to the left and beyond the left-hand edge of the belt 1. After the suction head 2 has collected a layer of cigarettes, it is caused to move upwardly and away from the belt 1 so as to assume the position of FIG. 2 and to align its grooves 41 with the holders 21 of the suction head 5. The plate 4 and the plunger 34 thereupon move to the positions shown in FIG. 2 whereby the newly formed layer of cigarettes is transferred into the interior of the tray 3. The plunger 34 serves as a means for stripping the layer of cigarettes off the underside of the head 2, and the plate 4 serves as a support which carries the layer of cigarettes into the tray so that such layer assumes a position beneath the suction member 5 and that the cigarettes may be attracted by suction to enter the holders 21. The control valve 8b in the conduit connecting the nipple 14 with the pump 8a is preferably opened in a fully automatic way when the plunger 34 moves to the position of FIG. 2 so that suction is applied to the slots 22 as soon as the cigarettes Z are supported by the plate 4 and are moved beneath the corresponding holders 21 of the suction member 5. Currents of air rushing into the slots 22 from below raise the cigarettes into the holders 21 so that the layer assumes the position of FIG. 2 in which the cigarettes block the respective slots 22 and are held on the member 5 by atmospheric pressure not balanced by the lower internal pressure in the slots. When the valve 8b connects the suction side of the pump 8a with the slots 22, the flaps 25, 32 pivot to the positions shown in FIG. 2 so that evacuation of air from the slots occurs very rapidly, the air being free to flow upwardly through the ports 26, 33 and through the openings 24, 31.

When all of the slots 22 are obstructed by cigarettes Z, suction in the chamber 23 rises sufficiently to permit the spring 29 to be compressed by atmospheric pressure of air flowing around the rod 28 and impinging against-the left-hand face of the piston 27. The rod 28 is then withdrawn from the position of FIG. 2 by moving away from the suction head 2 so that the suction member 5 may move away from abutment with the rear vertical wall of the tray 3, the rear wall being shown at the right end portion of FIG. 2. Thereafter, the subatmospheric pressure in the bellows 18 causes the latter to contract in the axial direction of the tube 12.'The piston rod 28 having been withdrawn from its braking position in which it normally interferes with movements of the suction member 5, the member 5 is free to pivot slightly about the axis of the pin 11 under the force of gravity until it comes to rest in a position in which it is slightly spaced from the rear vertical wall of the tray 3, and the member 5 is then lifted in response to contraction of the bellows 18 until its top wall abuts against the fixed flange 19.

The stroke of the suction member 5 in response to axial contraction of the bellows 18 is greater than the diameter of a cigarette Z so that the layer of cigarettes being weighed is held at a level above the normal path of cigarettes which are being transferred from the suction head 2 into the tray 3 in response to reciprocatory movements of the plunger 34. Thus, while a layer of cigarettes 2 remains suspended at the underside of the suction member 5, any desired number of consecutively formed cigarette layers may be deposited in the tray 3. FIGS. la, lb and 1c illustrate the relative positions of the tray 3, of the suction member 5 and of the weighing device 6 during filling of the tray and while a sample layer is being weighed.

FIG. 1a illustrates two layers of cigarettes Z deposited on the bottom wall of the tray 3, and a third layer in the process of being attracted by the suction member 5. The suction in the member 5 has not as yet reached sufficient intensity to cause full contraction of the bellows 18. In the position illustrated in FIG. 1b, the bellows 18 is fully contracted and the clearance between the layer of cigarettes being weighed and the top of the stack of cigarettes in the tray 3 is sufficient to permit additional layers of cigarettes to be fed to the tray. The tray has been lowered by the bracket 40 in stepwise fashion so that the length of each descent equals or approaches the diameter of a cigarette. As a rule, the cigarettes in adjacent layers are staggered with reference to each other so that the cigarettes of an upper layer come to rest in channels defined by the cigarettes in the layer therebelow and that, as a rule, the bracket 40 descends a distance which is less than the diameter of a cigarette.

FIG. 10 shows the last stage of the tray-filling operation. The tray 3 has descended to its lower end position and the valve 8b has been adjusted to admit atmospheric air into the bellows 18 whereby the cigarettes contained in the holders 21 are free to descend by gravity and to form the uppermost layer of the stack which fills the tray 3. Of course, the distance which the cigarettes must cover upon termination of suction in the chamber 23 is short because the bellows 18 expands prior to release of cigarettes so that the expanding bellows moves the holders 21 into close proximity of the stack in the tray 3 be fore the weighed layer of cigarettes is free to descend by gravity and to form the top layer of cigarettes in the tray. The filled tray is then removed, preferably in a fully automatic way and in a manner as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,600 to Erdmann et al. granted Mar. 14, 1967. While the trays may be lowered stepwise by hand during filling, all movements of the trays are normally initiated by the central drive of the apparatus by means of an intermittently driven rack and pinion arrangement or in another suitable way. When the valve 812 permits entry of atmospheric air into the bore and cavity 13, the flaps 25, 32 move to their closed position and restrict the flow of air from the bore 15 into the interior of the parts 5 and 18.

The counterweight 9 is preferably positioned in such a way that the pointer registers with a zero mark in the central portion of the scale 20 when the layer of cigarettes which is being weighed has the desired weight. Any positive or negative deviation from the desired weight may be read on the scale 20' in suitable units. The abutments 35, 36 prevent excessive oscillations of the balance beam 8 when the weighing device 6 is caused to release a layer of cigarettes.

It will be readily understood that the operator may select the layer of cigarettes which is to be weighed, i.e., that the operator may decide to weigh the first layer, the last layer, or a selected layer between the first and last layers. The selected layer which is being weighed is normally reinserted as the top layer of a stack. In FIG. 2, the return movement of weighed cigarettes is effected by reversing some of the operations described in taking the sample layer to be weighed. The suction pump 8a is sealed from the nipple 14 by closing the valve 8b, and this valve then admits air into the tube 12. The resulting pressure increase in the suction member 5 first causes the bellows 18 to expand and the current of air passing through the small port 33 in the otherwise closed flap 32 raises the pressure in the suction chamber 23 until the spring 29 displaces the piston 27 in a direction toward the suction head -2. The rod 28 presses against the sidewall of the head 2 and pushes the suction member 5 toward the rear vertical wall of the tray 3. Further equalization of pressure prevailing in and externally of the slots 22 by the currents of air gradually entering through the ports 26 finally permits the cigarettes to drop from the holders 21 of the suction member 5 and to assume their assigned places on the stack.

It will be noted that FIGS. 1, la-lc and 2 illustrate an apparatus wherein the weighing device 6 is arranged to weigh a selected layer of cigarettes subsequent to transfer of such layer into a tray 3.

The apparatus of FIG. 3 differs from the previously described apparatus in certain details of the transfer device and in that the weighing device need not extend into the interior of the tray 3. The manner in which the suction head 2 cooperates with the conveyor belt 1 to collect layers of cigarettes Z is the same as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. The internal structure of the suction member 5 is the same as shown in FIG. 2, and it will be noted that this suction member is suspended at the lower end of the tube 12 in such a way that it assumes a position between the suction head 2 and the open front side of the tray 3.

Whereas in the apparatus of FIG. 2 the cigarettes Z travel lengthwise through a distance which approximates the length of a cigarette (while moving from the grooves 41 into abutment with the rear vertical wall of the tray 3), the length of the normal cigarette travel in the apparatus of FIG. 3 approximates two cigarette lengths. The stroke of the support plate 4 is increased to approximately three cigarette lengths (because this plate must move to the left of the belt ll when the suction head is to collect a layer of cigarettes), but the stroke of the plunger 34 is the same as that of the plunger 34 because the layer of cigarettes which is being separated from the suction head 2 pushes a previously formed layer in front of it so that the transfer of each consecutively assembled row of cigarettes from the suction head 2 to the tray 3 takes place in two steps. Thus, the stroke of the plunger 34 need not substantially exceed the length of a cigarette Z. This plunger assumes the form of a rectangular frame in contrast to the member 4' which is a solid plate.

The apparatus of FIG. 3 operates as follows:

When the plunger 34 and the support plate 4' are withdrawn beyond the left-hand edge of the conveyor belt 1, air rushes into the suction head 2 in response to the evacuating action of a vacuum pump (not shown) which is connected to the head 2, whereby the cigarettes are sucked off the belt 1 to enter the grooves 41 at the underside of the suction head 2. Such cigarettes form a complete layer of closely adjacent parallel cigarettes which is ready to be transferred beneath the suction member 5 as soon as the head 2 is caused to move to its raised position and as soon as the transfer device 4', 34' performs a stroke in the direction toward the open front side of the tray 3. In the first step, the plate 4' moves to the position of FIG. 3 in which it extends beneath the suction member 5 and into the interior of the tray 3. The plunger 34' then follows and strips the newly formed layer of cigarettes Z off the suction head 2, the layer advancing along the upper side of the plate 4 and coming to rest beneath the suction member 5. At the same time, this newly formed layer pushes a previously formed layer so that this previously formed layer enters the tray 3 and comes to rest on the foremost portion of the plate 4', i.e., on that portion of this plate which is accommodated in the tray. As a rule, the stroke of the plunger 34' exceeds slightly the length of a cigarette to avoid interference between the layer which is suspended at the underside of the suction member 5 and the layer which is being collected by the head 2. The rod 28 holds the suction member 5 at a fixed normal distance from the suction head 2 so that the axis of the supporting tube 12 is inclined with reference to a precisely vertical position which the tube 12 tends to assume under the action of gravity.

Suction applied to the member 5 through the bore of the tube 12 causes the cigarettes positioned on the plate 4' beneath the suction member 5 to be attracted to the latter whereupon the support plate 4 is withdrawn prior to contraction of the bellows 18, i.e., before the suction member 5 is lifted above the position of FIG. 3. Cigarettes forming the foremost layer on the plate 4 (in the interior of the tray 3) are prevented from sharing such return movement of this plate because they abut against the cigarettes which are held by the suction member 5; therefore, such foremost layer of cigarettes descends onto the stack which has been formed in the tray 3 as soon as the plate 4 is withdrawn from the tray.

The suction in the member 5 then increases and the bellows 18 is caused to contract whereby the layer suspended at the underside of themember 5 is weighed in a fully automatic way and the result of the measurement (i.e., the combined weight of all cigarettes which form the suspended layer) is readable on the scale 20' (not shown in FIG. 3). The plate 4' and the plunger 34' are withdrawn beyond the left-hand edge of the belt 1 so that the suction head 2 may collect a new layer of cigarettes. Of course, as the suction in the member 5 increases, the rod 28 is withdrawn from the sidewall of the head 2 so that the member 5 swings freely and the scale 20 furnishes an accurate reading. As a rule, the scale 20' is calibrated in such a way that the readings reflect only the weight of the cigarette layer whereas the counterweight 9 compensates for the weight of the tube 12 and of all parts which are suspended thereon excepting, of course, the layer of cigarettes to be weighed.

The control valve 8b is operated in synchronism with the drive for the plunger 34 so that it admits air into the member 5 in response to a forward stroke of the plunger whereby the bellows l8 expands and the weighed layer of cigarettes is returned to the position of FIG. 3. Consequently, when the lunger 34' thereupon transfers the newly formed layer from the grooves 41 toward and beneath the member 5, the weighed cigarette layer is caused to advance into the tray and assumes a position above the right-hand end portion of the plate 4' so that it may descend into the tray as soon as the plate 4' is retracted. The cycle is then repeated in the abovedescribed manner whereby the weighing device including the member weighs each consecutively assembled layer of cigarettes in contrast to the device of FIGS. 1 and 2 which usually weighs only one selected layer of a stack. FIG. 3 illustrates that stage of operation of the apparatus when the plunger 34' has transferred a newly formed layer of cigarettes beneath the suction member 5 and when the bellows I8 is in expanded position. The member 5 is ready to collect the layer therebelow and to lift it for the purpose of weighing.

The weighing device 6 may be modified to produce an audible signal whenever the weight of a cigarette layer exceeds or is less than a predetermined optimum weight. In addition, the scale may be modified to produce an electrical impulse or the pointer 20 may actuate a recording device which automatically records the weight of the layer and which may be arranged to send impulses to a cigarette-making machine whenever the measured weight deviates from the optimal weight. This modification will be described in connection with FIG. 15.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a further apparatus wherein the spacing between the conveyor belt 1 and the suction head 2 on the one hand and the tray 3 on the other hand is the same as in FIG. 3. However, the apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a different weighing device which is located at a level below the path of cigarettes from the suction head 2 into the interior of the tray 3. This modified weighing device includes a balance beam 8' pivoted on a knife-edge bearing 7 beneath the path of cigarette layers. A downwardly extending bracket or standard 51 is pivotably secured to the right-hand end of the beam 8, and this bracket is rigid with a cigarette carrier or holder 50 whose top face is formed with shallow substantially semicylindrically contoured grooves which are aligned to receive cigarettes of a layer which is being collected at the underside of the suction head 2. A slot 54 between each pair of juxtaposed grooves receives a narrow rigid bar 53 one longitudinal end of which is integral with or otherwise rigidly secured to a modified support plate 4". The bars 53 are separated from each other by slots 52.

It is to be understood that the weighing device of FIGS. 4 and 5 also includes a counterweight which is adjustable along the left-hand arm of a beam 3' in the same way as shown in FIG. 1. This weighing device further comprises a suitable arresting mechanism of conventional construction which is actuated in timed sequence by the central drive of the apparatus and which normally holds the beam 8' in the position of FIG. 4 in which the cigarettes positioned above the carrier 50 are at least partially supported by the bars 53. The arresting mechanism may be of the cam and follower type such as will be described in connection with FIG. 6, and its purpose is to permit the beam 8 to oscillate at certain intervals so as to enable the weighing device to determine the weight of the cigarette layer which is momentarily supported by the carrier 50.

The apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5 operates as follows:

While the plunger 34' and the support plate 4" with the attached bars 53 are being held in a position to the left of the conveyor belt 1, a layer of cigarettes is collected by the suction head 2 which picks up consecutive cigarettes discharged from the cigarette making machine. When the plate 4" and the plunger 34' are thereupon caused to advance to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the newly assembled layer of cigarettes Z is shifted in a direction to the right and comes to a halt at a level above the carrier 50. The plate 4" is then withdrawn but the plunger 34' remains in the position of FIGS. 4 and 5 in order to prevent return movement of the cigarette layer which is being held above the carrier 50. Simultaneously with subsequent withdrawal of the plunger 34' in a direction to the left, the arresting mechanism releases the beam 8' which swings counterclockwise to assume a weighing position in which the carrier 50 is located at a level slightly above the position of FIG. 4. Suitable guide means may be provided to insure that the inclination of the carrier remains unchanged while the bracket 51 pivots about the right-hand end of the beam 8'. The arrangement is such that, as soon as the beam 8 is released, the carrier 50 moves slightly away from the tray 3 due to pivotal movement of the beam 8 in a clockwise direction so that the tray cannot interfere with the weighing operation and that the pointer (not shown) at the left-hand end of the beam 8 will furnish accurate readings regarding the weight of the cigarette layer on the carrier 50. The suction head 2 simultaneously collects the next layer of cigarettes because the transfer device 4", 34 is withdrawn beyond the left-hand edge of the belt 1, i.e., the suction at the underside of the head 2 may attract consecutive cigarettes from the belt as soon as the head 2 descends into closer proximity of the belt I.

In the next step, the beam 8 is returned to its arrested position whereby the carrier 50 reassumes the position of FIG. 4 and, as soon as the transfer device 4", 34 begins to move to the right (i.e., toward the open front side of the tray 3), the newly collected layer is'transferred onto the carrier 50 by simultaneously pushing the weighed layer toward the tray 3 so that the weighed layer is transferred onto the bars 53 which move with the plate 4" and advance beyond the carrier 50. This position of the transfer device is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As the next cycle begins, the plate 4" is withdrawn while the plunger 34 remains in the position of FIG. 5 whereby the plate 4" withdraws the rods 53 so that the foremost layer of cigarettes which was supported by the rods is free to descend into the tray and comes to rest on the uppermost layer of the partly completed stack. When the plunger 34' is withdrawn to the left simultaneously with further leftward movement of the plate 4", the beam 8' is again released by its arresting mechanism and the suction head 2 simultaneously collects the next cigarette layer.

Owing to the fact that the carrier 50 moves in an are as soon as the beam 8 is released, there is no appreciable frictional engagement between the layer of cigarettes which is being weighed and the layer which rests on the rods 53 so that the weighing operation may be carried out without any interference on the part of the previously weighed layer.

It will be noted that the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4-5 are similar insofar as they weigh each newly assembled layer of cigarettes prior to the transfer of such layers into the tray.

In the apparatus of FIG. 6, the suction head by itself forms part of the weighing device from which predetermined numbers of weighed cigarette layers are transferred to consecutive trays. Thus, Weighing of consecutively collected cigarette layers takes place automatically prior to transfer of such layers into a tray and without necessitating the provision of a suction member (such as the member 5 of FIGS. 1 to 3) or a carrier (such as the carrier 50 of FIGS. 4 and 5). The suction head 2' of FIG. 6 is attached to a stationary supporting frame 55 of the conveyor belt 1 by means of a lever 57 and a link 57' both pivotally connected to the frame 55 and head 2 by pins 56 to form a parallelogram linkage. The downwardly extending arm 60 of the lever 57 carries a longitudinally slidable counterweight 58 which may be fixed to the lever by a set screw 59 in any of a number of different positions of adjustment. The directions in which the counterweight may be moved along the arm 60 are indicated by a double-headed arrow. A roller 61 at the lower end of the arm 60 tracks the circumferential face of a disk-shaped cam 62 which is rotated by the central drive of the apparatus so that the pivotal movements of the lever 57 are synchronized with movements of certain other parts, particularly with the suction generating system which is connected to the head 2 and with the device which serves to transfer consecutively collected cigarette layers from the underside of the head 2 into the tray. A pointer 63 attached to the arm 60 is arranged to sweep a scale 64 when the lever 57 oscillates about the axis of the pivot pin 56.

ill

The apparatus of FIG. 6 operates as follows:

The structural details and the mode of operation of the suction head 2' form no part of this invention apart from the fact that this head forms part of a weighing device. Cigarettes are advanced from a cigarette making machine and travel along the upper side of the belt 1 in such a way that the average spacing between the cigarettes on the belt 1 upstream of the suction head 2 is greater than the spacing between the cigarettes which form a layer in the tray. The underside of the suction head 2' is formed with semicylindrically contoured parallel grooves 41 which are equidistant and closely adjacent to each other. A manifold duct 45 (see FIG. 2) in the suction head 2 is elongated in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 1 and communicates with separate orifices 46 in each groove 41. The forward end of the duct 45, near the lever 57, is connected to a suction generating pump by means of a flexible conduit which accommodates suitable control and shutoff valves (not shown). The suction in the manifold duct 45 decreases in a direction counter to that indicated by the arrow 42 in FIG. 6 because air is free to enter through the orifices 46 prior to the formation of a cigarette layer.

The suction head 2 is held at a fixed distance from the conveyor belt 1 during a major part of each revolution of the cam 62 while the roller 61 tracks a cylindrical portion of the cam face. The streams of air rushing into the orifices 46 in the grooves 41 increase in intensity in the direction of the arrow 42. Suction applied to the head 2' is controlled in such a manner that only the strongest stream of air is capable of sucking a cigarette of a predetermined weight and shape into the first groove 41 which is farthest to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6, i.e., which is nearest to the lever 57.

Closing of the orifice 46 in the first groove 41 by the foremost cigarette results in increased flow of air into the second groove 41 to cause the next cigarette to be drawn upward and into this second groove. This process is repeated until all grooves 41 in the suction head 2' are sequentially filled. At such stage of operation, the plunger 34 shown in FIG. 2 (but omitted in the illustration of FIG. 6) shifts the newly formed layer of cigarettes in the direction of their elongation toward and into a tray in which the cigarette layers are stacked in the same way as described hereinbefore. Subsequent to the transfer of a new cigarette layer, the tray descends a notch so as to insure that the uppermost layer in the tray will not interfere with movements of the cigarettes which form a next layer.

FIG. 6 illustrates an intermediate stage in the formation of a new cigarette layer in which the cigarettes Z fill the major part of grooves 41 and in which the belt 1 continues to deliver cigarettes toward the lever 57. The cigarettes which are already accommodated in the grooves 41 are held therein by atmospheric pressure because the interior of the head 2' is under subatmospheric pressure. The roller 61 has almost reached the end of the larger diameter cam face portion. When the last groove 41 of the suction head 2' is filled (i.e., when this head has completed the assembly of a cigarette layer), the roller 61 drops into a radial recess which extends along an are A of approximately 130 degrees about the axis of the cam 62. The resulting angular movement of the lever 57 raises the suction head 2 from the conveyor belt ll through a distance which is sufficient to permit cigarettes about to form the next layer to pass under the cigarettes which are suspended on the head 2'. The arrangement is such that the weighed layer is transferred into a tray and that the head 2' returns to the position of FIG. 6 before the foremost cigarette on the belt ll may reach the lever 57 so that the head 2' does not permit any cigarettes to escape along the belt 1. The number of cigarettes which form a layer depends on the dimensions of the trays and on the diameters of the cigarettes.

The effective center of gravity of the lever 57 is located at a level beneath the pin 56 which latter serves to attach the lever to the frame 55 in such a manner that the angular movement of the lever 57 is brought to a halt while the pointer 63 registers with the scale 64 and before the roller 61 engages that the portion of the cam face which extends along the are A.

The scale 64 may be calibrated in suitable units of cigarette weight. The cigarettes are then displaced from the grooves 41 by the plunger 34, and the suction head 2' returns to the position of FIG. 6 because the roller 61 engages the cam face at the other end of the arc A. A new layer of cigarettes is then collected in the same way as described hereinabove, and this newly assembled layer is then weighed when the roller 61 reassumes and passes beyond the position of FIG. 6. v

The lever 57 is preferably combined with a damping device of any known design, such as a small dashpot or a friction fit at its pivot, to prevent excessive oscillations of the lever when the roller 61 travels along the are A and to allow for speedier reading. It will be appreciated that the cycle of operations including collecting, weighing and transferring a layer of cigarettes (as well as returning the head 2 to the position of FIG. 6) takes only a second or a few seconds because a modern cigarette making machine is constructed to discharge up to 2,000 cigarettes per minute so that the interval of time allotted for collecting a layer of say 60 cigarettes is is very short.

In the apparatus of FIG. 7, the weighing device is combined with the transfer device which serves to shift consecutively formed layers of cigarettes 2 from a suction head 2 into a collecting tray 3. The head 2 and the tray 3 are arranged substantially in the same manner as shown in FIG. 2.

The transfer device of FIG. 7 comprises a support plate 43 and a plunger 34' which latter is of the type illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The underside of the plate 43 carries two guide sleeves 70 and 72. A conical member 71 is movable in a substantially vertical direction and is accommodated in the sleeve 70 so as to move toward and away from a position of engagement with a frustoconical upper end wall ofthe sleeve 70. This member 71'comprises a stem 88 which is guided by sliding engagement with the sleeve 70, the stem 88 extending through the bottom wall and downwardly beyond the sleeve 70. A knife edge 82 is guided in similar fashion by a standard 73 so that it moves in a substantially vertical path within the sleeve 72 toward and away from a V-shaped notch 83 provided in the underside of the plate 43. The sleeve 72, the standard 73, the knife edge 82 and the V-notch 83 are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 7.

Central portions of the stem 88 and of the standard 73 are hingedly attached to the respective free ends of a lever 74 which is pivotable about the axis of a horizontal pin 75. This pin connects the two branches of a forked slide 76 which is linked to the main drive of the tray-filling device for synchronized reciprocatory movement in a path which is substantially parallel to the plane of the plate 43. The lower ends of the stem 88 and of the standard 73 carry cam follower rollers 77, 78 which rest on a cam track 79, the latter forming part of a stationary frame member not otherwise shown in FIG. 7. The cam track 79 has two horizontal end portions connected by an inclined central portion, the higher horizontal portion of the track being nearer to the conveyor belt 1 and the suction head 2.

Rotary abutments or stops 80 and 81 which are mounted on the machine frame serve to limit upward movements of the plate 43. That end portion of this plate which is remote from the suction head 2 carries a pointer 84 which moves along a stationary scale 85 provided on the machine frame when the end portion of the plate 43 performs a vertical movement. A rod 87 extending horizontally from the sleeve 70 and away from the knife edge 82 carries an adjustable counterweight 86.

When the slide 76 is reciprocated by the central timing drive of the apparatus, the rollers 77, 78 move along the surface of the cam track 79 whereby the stem 88 of the conical member 71 and the standard 73 supporting the knife edge 82 move vertically. When the cam follower rollers 77, 78 are in contact with the higher horizontal portion of the cam track 79, a free end portion of the support plate 43 is located beneath the suction head 2. When the roller 78 tracks the upper horizontal portion of the cam track 79 while the roller 77 tracks the lower portion of the same cam track, the knife edge 82 enters the V-shaped notch at the underside of the support plate 43 while the conical member 71 remains spaced from the top wall in the recess of the sleeve 70.

The apparatus of FIG. 7 operates as follows:

After a layer of cigarettes Z has been formed while the suction head 2 remains closely adjacent to the upper side of the conveyor belt 1, the head 2 is lifted to the position shown in FIG. 7 by means of a suitable cam mechanism of the type illustrated at 61, 62 in FIG. 6. The support plate 43 moves from the position of FIG. 7 toward the tray 3 until its free end portion is positioned beneath the suction head 2. The cigarette layer is dropped onto the plate 43 by terminating the suction which normally prevails in the head 2. The plate 43 is then withdrawn in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 7, to assume a weighing position which is reached as soon as the plate 43 is ready to pivot about the knife edge 82 within the limits set by the rotary abutments 80 and 81. The counterweight 86 is adjusted in such a way that the plate 43 reaches a position of equilibrium when the pointer 84 registers with a zero mark on the scale 85 provided, of course, that the weight of the cigarette layer carried by the plate 43 equals the predetermined optimum weight.

While the first layer of cigarettes is being weighed, a second layer is formed by the suction head 2 and is raised above the path of the support plate 43 and the first layer of cigarettes supported thereon. In the next step, the plate 43 is advanced into the tray 3 to deposit the weighed cigarette layer on the stack of cigarettes already contained in the tray, such transfer of the weighed layer being effected in cooperation with the plunger 34 in the same way as described in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. I to 6. The plate 43 is then withdrawn into a receiving position in which its free end portion is located beneath the suction head 2 to receive the next cigarette layer as soon as the suction in the head 2 drops sufficiently to permit gravitational descent of the layer.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 8 in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 7. The support plate 44 of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises a front element 90 which is adjacent to the tray 3 and a rear element 91 which is connected to the drive of the tray-filling device in a manner not shown in the drawings.

The front element 90 of the support plate 44 is fixedly secured to a bellcrank lever 93 which is pivotable about the axis of a pin 89 carried by a bracket 92 which is fixedly attached to the rear element 91 of the support plate 44. The pin 89 engages the bellcrank lever 93 with moderate friction so that oscillations of the bellcrank lever about the axis of this pin are damped within a short period of time. A counterweight 94 is slidable on the lever 93 for balancing the weight of the front element 90. A pointer 95 on the lever 93 sweeps a scale 96 when the lever pivots about the axis of the pin 89. The scale 96 is attached to the stationary supporting frame 99 of the trayfilling device.

A bracket 97 at the underside of the front element 90 of the support plate 44 carries a roller 98 which tracks a cam face 100 of the supporting frame 99 whenever the plate 44 is reciprocated toward and away from the tray 3 by a suitable drive, not shown. A frame-type plunger consisting of a front element 101 and a rear element 102 hingedly connected to the element 101 by means ofa pivot 103 cooperates with the support plate 44 in the same way as described in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7.

The apparatus of FIG. 8 operates as follows:

The rear element 91 of the support plate 44 travels back and forth in a fixed path between a first position in which the free end portion of the front element 90 assumes a receiving position and is located beneath the suction head 2 and in which the roller 98 tracks a horizontal portion of the cam face 100, and a second position which is shown in FIG. 8 and in which the free end portion of the front element 90 extends into the tray 3. The roller 98 is then vertically spaced from a downwardly sloping portion of the cam face 100. In this illustrated discharge position, the front element 90 of the support plate 44 is free to pivot about the axis of the pin 89 and to indicate the weight of a cigarette layer which is supported by the front element whereby the pointer moves into registry with a given graduation on the scale 96. Undesired oscillations of the front element 90 are clamped by frictional engagement between the lever 93 and the pin 89. The friction between the lever and the pin is sufficiently small so that the sensitivity of the weighing device is not affected to any appreciable extent.

The weighing device may be equipped with means for generating an electrical signal or impulse responsive to the weight of a cigarette layer, and such signals may be fed back to the cigarette-making machine to make adjustments in the weight of cigarettes by adjusting the feed of tobacco, the trimming action upon a tobacco stream, the compacting action upon a tobacco stream, or by adjusting two or more such actions in a simultaneous operation.

I-Ieretofore, the description of the present invention dealt with various apparatus for weighing one layer of cigarettes at a time. These apparatus can weigh the articles during any of the following stages:

1. After the formation of a layer and before the articles which form the layer begin to move lengthwise, see FIG. 6;

2. during the lengthwise movement, see FIGS. 7 and 8;

3. during a stoppage phase in the movement, see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5; and I 4. subsequent to transfer into the tray, see FIG. 2.

Furthermore, the layers are weighed:

a. In their normal path, see FIGS. 6 and 8, or

b. subsequent to withdrawal of layers from their normal path, see FIGS. 2 to 5 and 7, the layers being returned into the path after weighing.

However, it is often of considerable advantage to weigh larger quantities of cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, filters and similar rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of tobacco-containing products. In such instances, we resort to a somewhat different method which will be explained in connection with FIGS. 9 to 17 and according to which groups consisting of stacked layers are being weighed individually or two or more at a time.

FIG. 9 illustrates an attachment which is somewhat similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,l90,459, granted June 22, 1965 to Horst Kochalski et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,600 granted Mar. 14, I967 to Otto Erdmann et al. This attachment 120 cooperates with a ground-supported weighing device 121 which latter serves as a means for determining the average weight of cigarettes, filters, cigars, cigarillos or similar rod-shaped articles which fill storing devices in the form of trays 122. Each newly filled tray 122 is weighed in a fully automatic way as soon as it leaves a filling or transfer station 123 which is defined by the attachment 120 and at which layers or rows of cigarettes 124 or similar rod-shaped articles are transferred from the cradles of a chain conveyor 125 into a tray 122a which is momentarily located at the station 123. The direction in which the upper run of the chain conveyor 125 delivers a continuous stream of cigarettes in an elongated path and into the range of a reciprocable platelike plunger 126 is indicated by an arrow 127. This direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of the cigarettes since the conveyor 125 corresponds to the conveyor 1 of FIGS. 1 to 8. The tray 122a descends a notch subsequent to receiving a new row or layer of cigarettes and, once it has received a predetermined number of such layers, the tray 122a moves rearwardly and thereupon upwardly prior to being returned onto a takeoff conveyor 128 which also delivers empty trays l22b to the attachment 120. During movement onto the conveyor 128, the articles stored in a filled tray are moved in a direction which is parallel with the direction of movement along the conveyor 125. The manner in which the trays 122, 122a, 122 b are circulated through the attachment 120 is similar to that described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,600 and need not be described here.

The takeoff conveyor 128 comprises a two-piece housing 129 which is secured to the frame 130 of the attachment 120 and accommodates suitable sprockets 131 (only one shown in FIG. 9) for two endless chains 132 (one shown in FIG. 9) which are concealed in the housing 129 and whose links 133, FIG. 11, carry elongated supporting brackets 143 for the trays 122, 122b. One of the chains 132 is driven intermittently by a pneumatic cylinder 139 which is connected in the pneumatic circuit of the attachment 120 (see the suction generating fan 135) so as to operate in synchronism with movements of the trays onto and off the conveyor 128. The attachment 120 is operated in such a way that an empty tray (not shown in FIG. 9) is withdrawn from the conveyor 128 in order to leave a space or gap 137 which may receive the tray 122a. The empty tray is held in position rearwardly of the tray 122a and, when the latter is filled and is located at a level beneath the transfer station 123, the empty tray takes the position of the tray 122a (FIG. 9) and is filled with layers of cigarettes which are being transferred by the plunger 126. The suction head (also called lifter) which collects rows or layers of cigarettes from the conveyor 125 is not shown in FIG. 9.

The freshly filled tray 1220 is then moved rearwardly and upwardly so as to be aligned with the space 137 and, in the next step, is moved onto the conveyor 128 to fill this space and to automatically trigger operation of the pneumatic control system of the cylinder 129 so that this cylinder advances the chains 132 and moves the foremost empty tray l22b into alignment with the mechanism of the attachment 120. The operation is then repeated in a fully automatic way so that the attachment fills and discharges the trays with little or without any supervision. The filled trays 122 may be transferred onto a further conveyor (not shown), or an operator may be positioned in front of the conveyor 128 to remove such filled trays and to place them onto a carriage or onto a conveyor which delivers the stacked articles to a filter cigarette-making machine if the articles are filters, to a wrapping and packing machine if the articles are cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, to storage or to another destination.

The mechanism 140 which is actuated by the cylinder 139 is operative to advance the chain 132 in a single direction (i.e., to intermittently rotate the sprocket 131 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9). Such mechanisms are well known in the art and by themselves form no part of this invention. For example, the mechanism 140 may include a springbiased pawl which yields when the rod 141 performs a return stroke and engages consecutive links 133 on the chain 132 when the rod 141 performs a forward stoke.

The brackets 143 are arranged in pairs and define elongated channels for the trays so that the tray 1220 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 11) may slide along the respective brackets at the time it is caused to return onto the conveyor 128 and to fill the space 137.

The rearmost filled tray 122 is then located above the weighing device 121 and is weighed in a fully automatic way whereby the device 121 records the weight of this tray and its pointer 144 (see FIG. 10a) enables an operator to immediately determine the average weight of the cigarettes which are stacked in the tray 122. Of course, an important condition for satisfactory operation of the weighing device 121 is that all of the trays should be of identical weight. Thus, the weight of each of the trays 122, 122', 122a, 122b, 1122b must be the same; otherwise, the readings furnished by the weighing device 121 would fail to reflect the exact weight of the stack of cigarettes 124 in a filled tray. It is also important that each filled tray should contain the same number or a predetermined number of cigarettes.

The weighing device 121 (shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 10a, 12 and 13) comprises a base 145, an upstanding column 146, a block 147 which carries a vertical rod 148, and a lifting member here shown as a platform 149 which is extendable through the gap 150 between two cooperating brackets 143. The rod 148 lifts the rearmost filled tray 122 in the interval during two consecutive advances of the chains 132 whereby the pointer 144 indicates the total weight ofthe tray 122' or, alternatively, the weighing device 121 is preferably calibrated in such a way that the pointer 144 immediately indicates the weight of the cigarettes 124 in the tray 122' (i.e., the total weight of the filled tray minus the weight of an empty tray). Since the operator knows the number of cigarettes in a filled tray, he can readily calculate the average weight of a single cigarette.

The stroke of the rod 148 must be sufficient to insure that this rod may retract the platform 149 below the lower stringers of the chains 132. Of course, it is also possible to make the brackets 143 in two sections so as to leave sufficient space for the platform even if this platform is retractable only slightly from the upper stringers of the chains.

The column 146 carries a recording device 151 which records the weight of the filled tray 122' or the weight of cigarettes 124 in this tray so that the weighing device may store the information regarding the weight of consecutively filled trays and, if desired, may send suitable impulses to the rod-forming (cigarette-making) machine if the average weight of cigarettes is above or below a predetermined standard weight.

Referring to FIG. 15, there is shown an electric circuit which controls the operation of the weighing device 121 and which also adjusts the cigarette-making machine in automatic response to detection of one or more filled trays whose weight exceeds or is less than a predetermined standard weight. The electric circuit comprises two control switches 160, 161 which are adjacent to the space 137 and are closed by the rearmost filled tray 122' when the latter assumes the position of FIGS. 9, 12, 13, 14 or 15. Two limit switches 162, 163 (see FIGS. 12, 13 and 15) are mounted on the block 147 in such a way that one thereof 162) opens when the rod 148 reaches the upper end of its stroke and that the other (163) opens when the rod 148 reaches the lower end of its stroke.

Two additional switches 164, 165 are connected in such a way that one thereof closes in response to closing of the other and vice versa. The switch 164 is closed by the advancing mechanism 140 when the rod 141 performs a return stroke subsequent to delivering the last filled tray 122 to the position of FIG. 15.

A motor 166 drives a camshaft 172 which carries five diskshaped cams 167, 168, 169, 170, 171. The cam 171 has a lobe 171a which extends along nearly 360 and cooperates with a movable contact 173 to push this contact against a fixed contact 174 and to thereby complete the circuit of the motor 166 when the switches 160, 161, 164, 165 are closed.

The switch 165 completes the circuit of a timer relay 175 which controls a normally open switch 176. For example, the relay 175 may be set to keep the switch 176 in closed position for a period of 5 seconds, and the motor 166 is arranged to rotate the camshaft 172 through a full revolution within a period of 30 seconds. When the mechanism 140 closes the switches 164, 165, the relay 175 attracts the switch 176 and thereby completes the circuit of the motor 166 provided, of

course, that the filled tray 122' is in requisite position and closes the switches 160, 161. The camshaft 172 then begins to rotate and the lobe 171a of the cam 171 moves the contact 173 against the contact 174 to bypass the switch 176 and to keep the circuit of the motor 166 completed regardless of the position of the switch 176 which latter returns to the position of FIG. 15 after a period of 5 seconds. The motor 166 then rotates until the lobe 171a returns to the position of FIG. 15 and permits the contact 173 to move away from the contact 174.

The revolving cam shaft 172 starts a series of operations as follows:

The lobe 167a of the first cam 167 moves a contact 177 against a fixed contact 178 and thereby energizes a relay 179 because the limit switch 162 is normally closed. The relay 179 closes two switches 180, 181 in the circuit of a reversible motor 182 which is installed in the block 147 and begins to move the rod 148 in an upward direction through a rack and pinion drive or the like so as to lift the tray 122 from the respective brackets 143 whereby the device 121 may weigh the tray 122 and the pointer 144 may indicate the weight on the suitably graduated scale 1440, see also FIG. a. The pointer 144 remains in zero position if the weight of the tray 122' equals a predetermined standard weight.

The pointer 144 is normally blocked by the lobe 169a of the cam 169 which normally maintains a movable contact 183 in engagement with a fixed contact 184 to close the circuit of a relay 185 which in turn actuates a magnetic brake 186 for the shaft 187 of the pointer 144 so that the pointer is free to sweep the scale 144a only when the cam lobe 167a releases the contact 177. The limit switch l62 deenergizes the relay 179 when the platform 149 reaches the upper end of its stroke (see FIG. 13) and the motor 182 then maintains the tray 122' in lifted position in which this tray is out of the path defined by the conveyor 128. The switch 162 is a safety device since the relay 179 will be deenergized when the lobe 167a releases the contact 177. The motor 182 is now at a standstill and the tray 122 remains in the position of FIG. 13 for weighing.

When the cam lobe 169a releases the contact 183 and the pointer 144 is free to sweep the scale 144a, the lobe 170a of the cam 170 moves a further contact 188 against a stationary contact 189 to complete the circuit of a motor 190 which drives the drum 191 of the recording device 151. The drum 191 then advances a record-carrying tape 192, and a stylus or perforator 193 will automatically apply a marker or a perforation which indicates on the tape the exact weight of the tray 122'.

As the cam shaft 172 continues to rotate, the lobe 1680 of the cam 168 moves a contact 194 against a fixed contact 195 and energizes a relay 196 which closes two switches 197, 198 to complete the circuit of the motor 182 so that this motor rotates in a direction to lower the rod 148 and the platform 149 and to return the tray 122 to the position of FIG. 12 whereby the switch 163 opens and arrests the motor 182. When the shaft 172 completes a full revolution, the cam 171a returns to the position of FIG. 15 and opens the circuit of the motor 166 by permitting the contact 173 to move away from the contact 174.

If the pointer 144 registers with the zero mark on the scale 144a, the r.p.m. of a variable speed electric motor 199 which forms part of the rod-forming machine remains unchanged. However, if the pointer 144 is deflected and indicates a deviation from the standard weight of a filled tray, it causes the member 193 to change its position and to record such deviation on the tape 192, either in the form ofa printed marker or in the form of a suitable perforation at the one or the other side of the zero line 192a on the tape. Such deviation is then detected by a conventional sensor 200 which transmits a suitable impulse to a control unit 201 for the motor 199. This control unit includes a counter 202, an electric switch 203 and a source 204 of electrical energy. The purpose of the counter 202 is to change the r.p.m. of the motor 199 and to thereby eliminate the cause of deviation from the standard weight. The exact construction of the control unit 201, of the counter 202, of the sensor 200 and of the member 193 forms no part of this invention. The counter 202 is preferably constructed in such a way that it changes the r.p.m. ofthe motor 199 when it detects a trend, i.e., when it receives two or more consecutive impulses indicating that the average weight of consecutively filled trays is below or above a standard weight. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor I25 and the motor 199 are assumed to constitute component parts of a cigarette-making rod machine or the type disclosed, for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,l32,650 granted May 12, 1964 to Richter or in application Ser. No. 40,028 filed June 30, 1960 by Schrep wherein the rate at which a distributor (shown at 205 in FIG. 15 feeds shredded tobacco may be adjusted simultaneously with adjustment in the position of a tobacco trimming or equalizing device. It will be readily understood that the motor 199 may serve to adjust only a trimming device or a mechanical and/or pneumatic tobacco-compacting device of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 528,688 of Lakos. All that counts is to provide an operative connection which will automatically adjust the rod-forming machine in response to one or more impulses generated upon deviation of the average weight of a filled tray from a predetermined standard weight. Of course, the structure of FIG. 15 may be simplified by omitting the parts 200, 201 since an operator may read the recordings on the tape 192 and may adjust the motor 199 manually if he detects that the member 192 records deviations from a standard weight.

FIG. 15 further shows an operative connection 206 between the pointer 144 and the counter 202 which may be utilized to bypass the recording device 151 and to automatically adjust the r.p.m. of the motor 199 in response to deviations of average weight of one or more filled trays from a standard weight.

The manner in which the pointer 144 may influence the position of the member 193 is self-evident, i.e., there is a source 193a of electrical energy which is connected in circuit with the parts 144, 193.

FIG. 15a illustrates the cam lobes l67a-l7la in developed view. The lobe 169a allows the brake 186 (which corresponds to the arresting mechanism 61, 62 of FIG. 6) to release the pointer 144 when the platform 149 assumes its upper position, the lobe 170a will complete the circuit of the motor 190 when the pointer 144 is released, the lobe 1680 will complete the circuit of the reversible motor 182 when the pointer 144 is braked, and the lobe 1710 will disconnect the source 207 from the motor 166 when the latter completes a full revolution. Obviously, the sources 182a, 1930, 204 and 207 may be replaced by a single source of electrical energy.

The motor 166 must complete a full revolution before the attachment advances a new filled tray into the space 137. The cylinder 139 then causes the rod 141 to perform a forward stroke and the weighing operation is repeated with the next filled tray.

FIG. 16 illustrates a portion of a modified weighing device 321 which includes a rod 322, a carrier plate 323 which is fixed to the upper end of the rod 322, and five platforms 324 each of which may enter a slot 325 between cooperating pairs of brackets 143 to lift a filled tray 122. Thus, the device 321 may serve for simultaneous weighing of several filled trays. The circuitry of the weighing device 321 is analogous to that of the circuitry shown in FIG. 15 with the exception that the cam-operating motor 166 is started in response to admission of each fifth empty tray 122b into the attachment 120, i.e., the control switches 160, 161 will be closed by the foremost filled tray 122" of a train of five filled trays. The weighing device 321 is calibrated to indicate the combined weight of cigarettes which fill five trays, and the weight of all empty trays is the same.

The weighing device of FIG. 16 may be modified for simultaneous weighing of two, three, four, six seven or more filled trays.

The weighing device 421 of FIG. 17 is analogous to the device 121 of FIG. 9, excepting that the platform 149 is replaced by a different lifting member 449 which does not engage a filled tray 122 from below but which engages a sidewall 122a of this tray. Thus, instead of pushing against the underside of the bottom wall 122b, the lifting member 449 pulls the tray 122 when the rod 448 performs an upward stroke. The lifting member 449 carries a pair of electromagnets 4490, 449k which are energized for a predetermined period of time sufficient to attract the tray 122 and to safely support the tray during lifting, weighing and subsequent descent onto the conveyor 128 (not shown in FIG. 17).

The weighing device 421 of FIG. 17 may be modified so that it may be used for weighing of two, three or more filled trays at a time. The legs 145a of the base 145 are provided with cushions of friction-generating material to prevent slippage of the weighing device and to insure that the lifting member 149 or 449 is properly aligned with that newly filled tray which is about to be weighed. a

If the trays are provided with front covers of the type described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,600 the weight of each cover must be the same in order to make sure that the weighing device will indicate the combined weight of all cigarettes in a given tray with requisite accuracy. The scale of the weighing device may be calibrated to automatically indicate the average weight ofa cigarette.

In order to insure that each tray will have the same weight within close tolerances, the trays may be produced by molding from synthetic plastic material or by pressing from sheet metal. Compensating weights may be attached to the trays ifa weighing of empty trays reveals deviations from a standard weight. The same result may be achieved by providing a quantity of surplus material on each tray during production and by removing some surplus material in a subsequent step to insure that every tray is of the same weight.

The apparatus of FIGS. 9 l7 may be modified to spot weigh certain individual trays or certain groups of trays instead of weighing each consecutively filled tray or each train of two or more consecutively filled trays.

The reasons for and the advantages of weighing with the purpose of determining the average weight of cigarettes, filters and similar rod-shaped articles may be summarized as follows:

The operators may determine the average hourly, daily or weekly consumption of tobacco or filter material and such determination will be of advantage in calculating the consumption for the entire plant as well as for insuring that there will be sufficient tobacco or filter material in stock for a given period of time.

The determination of average weight will be of assistance in comparing the output of two machines or of two groups of machines, in determining the losses which result from temporary idling of one or more machines, as well as in comparing the output of machines which are operated under the supervision of two or more foremen.

Also be weighing each consecutively assembled group (be it a layer or a stack), one can compare the output of a machine on consecutive days as well as the output of an entire battery of machines in consecutive weeks or months.

Furthermore, the causes for the production of overweight or underweight cigarettes, filters and similar rod-shaped articles may be eliminated by hand or by automatic control devices to insure that any changes in the weight will be eliminated within shortest periods of time and with utmost accuracy.

Common to all embodiments of the present invention is the feature that the spatial relationship of the articles which form a group need not and does not change during or as a result of the weighing step. Thus, regardless of whether the group consists of a single layer or row of articles, of two or more coplanar or superimposed layers, ofa single stack, or of two or more stacks, the weighing operation is carried out in such a way that the articles of the group to be weighed remain in unchanged position with respect to the remaining articles of the same group. Therefore, such groups may be reinserted into the normal path of the articles without necessitating any rearrangement, stoppage, delay or attention for the weighing operation.

In accordance with a slightly different method which may be carried out in a simplified apparatus, a predetermined number of cigarettes, filters or similar rod-shaped articles may be introduced at random into a tray or a similar storing device, and such storing devices are then weighed in the same way as described in connection with FIGS. 9 to 17. Suitable counter means are utilized to record the total number of articles in consecutive trays so as to make sure that each tray contains the same number of articles. While the articles then do not form neatly stacked layers, their spatial relationship remains unchanged during the weighing step.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. Apparatus for regulating the average weight of cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles, comprising a rod-forming machine having adjustable means arranged to regulate the quantity of tobacco in a wrapped rod which is thereupon subdivided to yield rod-sha ed articles and containers for receivmg said articles; assem ling means arranged to receive rodshaped articles from said machine and to assemble the thus received articles in each of a series of such containers successively so that each container accommodates an identical number of such articles in stacked array and in a predetermined spatial relationship to each other; weighing means for weighing at least some of the thus-filled containers in a weighing zone to determine the average weight of articles therein while the spatial relationship of articles remains unchanged; conveyor means for moving the thus-weighed containers from said weighing zone; and an operative connection between said weighing means and said machine for automatically adjusting said adjustable means in response to deviations of the average weight of weighed articles from a predetermined standard weight.

2. Apparatus as set froth in claim 1 further comprising means for supplying a stream of articles from said rod-forming machine to said assembling means, said conveyor means further comprising means for moving filled containers from said assembling means to said weighing zone in the axial direction ofarticles in such containers.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said assembling means comprises means for moving the articles axially into the respective containers.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said weighing means comprises means for moving the containers to be weighed from a lower level to a higher level.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim I, further comprising means for recording the weight of articles in the containers at said weighing zone.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for generating signals in response to deviations of the average weight of articles in a container from a predetermined standard weight.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said assembling means comprises means for arraying the articles in stacks consisting of superimposed layers and wherein the articles of each lower layer are staggered with reference to articles in the layer thereabove.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said containers are trays each having a bottom, side and two end walls and wherein said weighing means comprises means for lifting such trays in said weighing zone including means for engaging the bottoms of the trays.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said containers are trays each having a bottom, a side and two end walls and wherein said weighing means comprises means for lifting such trays in said weighing zone including means for engaging the end walls of the trays. 

1. Apparatus for regulating the average weight of cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles, comprising a rod-forming machine having adjustable means arranged to regulate the quantity of tobacco in a wrapped rod which is thereupon subdivided to yield rod-shaped articles and containers for receiving said articles; assembling means arranged to receive rod-shaped articles from said machine and to assemble the thus received articles in each of a series of such containers successively so that each container accommodaTes an identical number of such articles in stacked array and in a predetermined spatial relationship to each other; weighing means for weighing at least some of the thusfilled containers in a weighing zone to determine the average weight of articles therein while the spatial relationship of articles remains unchanged; conveyor means for moving the thusweighed containers from said weighing zone; and an operative connection between said weighing means and said machine for automatically adjusting said adjustable means in response to deviations of the average weight of weighed articles from a predetermined standard weight.
 2. Apparatus as set froth in claim 1, further comprising means for supplying a stream of articles from said rod-forming machine to said assembling means, said conveyor means further comprising means for moving filled containers from said assembling means to said weighing zone in the axial direction of articles in such containers.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said assembling means comprises means for moving the articles axially into the respective containers.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said weighing means comprises means for moving the containers to be weighed from a lower level to a higher level.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for recording the weight of articles in the containers at said weighing zone.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for generating signals in response to deviations of the average weight of articles in a container from a predetermined standard weight.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said assembling means comprises means for arraying the articles in stacks consisting of superimposed layers and wherein the articles of each lower layer are staggered with reference to articles in the layer thereabove.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said containers are trays each having a bottom, side and two end walls and wherein said weighing means comprises means for lifting such trays in said weighing zone including means for engaging the bottoms of the trays.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said containers are trays each having a bottom, a side and two end walls and wherein said weighing means comprises means for lifting such trays in said weighing zone including means for engaging the end walls of the trays. 